Two jackals haggling over the kill

[REDWAVE]

International power politics never fails to fascinate me with its byzantine twists and turns. The U.S. and Turkey, the big imperialist power and the smaller one, have just struck a deal on just how much blood money Turkey will receive for assisting the U.S. in its predatory assault on Iraq, and the division of the spoils of war. For allowing the U.S. to use bases on its territory as a staging ground for aggression and mass murder, Turkey will receive $6 billion in cash now, but with $1 billion set aside to guarantee $10 billion in loans. Since 90% of the Turks are opposed to the war, some of that money will have to go to suppressing popular resistance.

The other big issue was the size and role of Turkish troops: Turkey wants to send tens, maybe even hundreds, of thousands of troops into northern Iraq, which is mainly Kurdish. Above all, the Turks don't want the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq to become a full-fledged nation. Turkey savagely represses its own Kurds in eastern Turkey. They might well want to join the new Kurdish nation.

In turn, the U.S. doesn't want Turkey to try to take Mosul or Kirkuk. Why? Because around both those areas, there's tons of oil wells, pumping that stuff the war is, of course, not about. Just ask Bush or any of his top people. They'll tell you themselves. You can trust them-- really!


This resembles nothing so much as two predators haggling over which one gets the choicest and juiciest parts of the kill, and how best the victim can be dispatched.

In a sprightly finishing touch, Turkey also agreed to continue to follow IMF dictates of financial austerity and privatization. In sophisticated international big business circles, these are code words for squeezing the workers and peasants harder, and selling off public assets to rich investors for a song.


U.S. and Turkey Cut a Deal

 

[p_p_man]

The other big issue was the size and role of Turkish troops: Turkey wants to send tens, maybe even hundreds, of thousands of troops into northern Iraq, which is mainly Kurdish. Above all, the Turks don't want the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq to become a full-fledged nation. Turkey savagely represses its own Kurds in eastern Turkey. They might well want to join the new Kurdish nation.

As the Kurds in the North of Iraq have, to all intents and purposes their own nation already, protected by the American and UK air patrols, I can't help but wonder what Turkey will do with their own Kurdish population if they do decide to join with their Iraqi brothers.

If there is a popular Kurdish revolt in Turkey which the Turks will be forced to supress in their usual brutal way, what stand would America make?

ppman

 

[SINthysist]

France and Germany are trying to extort clemency...

Which is worse?

 

[REDWAVE]

O, how terrible it would be if, despite Georgie Poo's best efforts, peace should break out . . .

 

[RosevilleCAguy]

O, how terrible it would be if, despite Georgie Poo's best efforts, peace should break out . . .

Lets all go to "Happycommieland" where life is idealic and wars never happer.......................


I may book a trip when something besides a thoroughly theorhetical model is in operation.

 

[JazzManJim]

As usual, you missed a couple important facts.

First, Turkey was still miffed that they weren't given the amount of money they were promised to cover their costs of the original Gulf War. They were a few billion dollars in the hole because of it and were left high and dry by the Coalition. They decided that since they had the upper hand here, they'd get that money back instead of taking another promise for it.

Second, Turkey is opposed to a Kurdish State, but not necessarily to a coalition government composed of Kurds, Shia, Sunni, and Marsh Arabs. That's the likely composition of the Iraqi government after Hussein falls and we've been in close negotiation with all four groups about their part int he new government. Turkey's not entirely thrilled with the idea, but the notion of being a close trading partner to a rich and democratic government soothes an awful lot of tension.

 

[REDWAVE]

Marsh Arabs?

Are you kidding, JMJ? The "liberated" Iraq will be an American client state, taking orders from Washington, D.C. The chaos and poverty of Afhganistan today gives you a clear picture of what U.S. "liberation" will be like. A lot like the "liberation" of the Phillippines after the Spanish-Anerican War!

And the hypocrisy of denouncing Saddam for gassing the Kurds (when it was the U.S. which supplied the gas), while allied with another nation that brutally oppresses its Kurds (Turkey) is glaringly obvious.

 

[SINthysist]

If Peace did break out, it will not be due the efforts of France, Germany, China, and Russia, but due to the United States willingness to use might for right.

 

[Ishmael]

I'll take your twisted history and current events seriously RED only when you can explain one thing to me.

If the rise of the proletariat is inevitable, why is it necessary to proclaim the need for violent revolution?

Yep, BIG paradox. Marx was full of shit. Bad economist as well. Ignorant actually. But he did take Hegel's 'statist' model to the Nth degree.

Perhaps Marx can be excused his ignorance. But after the many historical examples of failures, modern followers can't be so kindly treated.

Oh well, like Yosemite Sam said in the cartoons, "Commies is stupid."

Ishmael